Combined crossing and switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. C. WEIR.

COMBINED CROSSING AND SWITCH.

No. 409,538. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

PETERS Phclc-Limognpher, wuhingmn. D C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet F. C. WEIR.

COMBINED CROSSING AND SWITCH.

- No. 409,538,. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

TEES. Pholb-Li nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn U C V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRIC C. \VEI'R, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COMBINED. CROSSING AND SWITCH.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,538, dated August 20, 1889.

Application filed January 5, 1889. Serial No. 295,546. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDRIC C. \VEIR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Crossing and Switch, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide suitable means for operating two sets of switches simultaneously, arranged between the frogs of the crossing, so as to switch trains from one main line to another on the crossing. I11 Serial N 0. 294,411, filed December 22, 1888, I have shown and described the mechanism for operating the switches located longitudinally between the two switches within the frog, consisting, mainly, of the longitudinal center rod moved in anti-friction bearings with mechanism for communicating motion to the switch-rails. The within-described in- "ention is substantially the same as shown in my said former application, except I have provided crank mechanisms instead of camplates for obtaining the proper leverage to move the switch-rails, all of which will be fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan View of my ment. Fig. 2 is a detail View of some of the parts. Fig. 3 is a top plan View showing the switch-rails open or in an opposite position from that in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line 50 r, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a modification of the connecting and reciprocating shafts and the bell-crank lever operating the switch.

A A represent the main-track rails of one crossing, and B B represent the main track of the opposite crossing.

C C represent the end frogs, and D D the central crossing-frogs.

E E represent the split switch-rails at one end of the switch, and F F the split switchrails at the other end of the crossing. These two sets of switch-rails are located, as shown, in the space inclosed between the main-track rails A A and B B. The switclrrails are of the usual construction and location.

1 represents the switch-s tand 2, direct-moving switch-bar, which is joined to the crank improve- 3 and the shaft 4. This shaft is rigidly secured to supporting-plate 5.

6 represents a pivot cross-head journaled on said centers 4 and rigidly connected to bellcrank lever 3, forming a double bellcrank or T-shaped lever.

7 represents connecting-rods, the inner ends of which are pivoted to the cross-head (3 and the outer end to thelongitudinal moving rods 8, the parts being duplicated upon the two sides of the center at.

'9 represents anti-friction guides for porting the center rods 8.

10 represents bell-crank levers, which are journaled upon centers 11 and are supported upon the bed-plate 12. This bed-plate 12 it is necessary should be firmly supported, so as to furnish a fixed base to readily move the switch-rails. This is preferably secured by bending the plate 12 around against the webs of the rails A B and bolting the vertical flanges 13 firmly to the webs of the rails. The bell-crank lever 10 connects with bifurcated or forked ends 14, as shown in Fig. 4, of the bracket-arm 15, which bracket-arm is rigidly secured to the switch-rails E E F F.

16 represents filling-blocks resting on the bed-plate 12 and supporting the pivot portion of the bell-crank levers 10, thus preventing any bending or twisting of the bell-crank levers. The inner arms of the bell-crank levers are each provided with a slot 17, through which passes the pivot 18, which hinges the rod or shaft 8 to said bell-crank lever, so that the rod or shaft 8 may move in a direct line and the inner arms and bell-crank levers 10 may move in the arc of a circle to open or supclose the switch-rails as the longitudinal central rod or shaft 8 is reciprocated. This method of operating the. switch is positive and furnishes sufficient means for moving both switches simultaneously by the one switch-stand. By this means I am enabled to locate the switch devices all between the,

central crossing-frogs and accomplish the results desired without lost motion.

The system of levers may be variously modified. One modification is illustrated in Fig. 5, which shows a different method of connecting the reciprocating shafts 8 to the T-shaped bell-crank lever, instead of using connecting-rods 7- and loosely hinging the shafts 8 to the cross-head 6. Said cross-head isdispensed with and a circular plate is used, which is provided with slots 19, and the inner ends of said reciprocating shafts 8 are provided with studs engaging in said slots, so that said shafts 8 are reciprocated longitudinally by the slots 19 by the oscillation of the T-shaped bell-crank lever, substantially as specified. Av similar bell-crank could also be used in lieu of the bell-cranks 10 and would be the equivalent therefor.

Having described my invention, What I claim is- 1. In combination with a crossing-frog and a switch-stand, the switch-bar 2, hinged to the arm 3, and the cross-head lever, the connecting-rod 7, and reciprocating shaft 8, hinged to bell-crank levers 10, and -the bracket-arms of the switch-rails, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with a crossing-frog, the switching mechanism consisting, substantially, of the switch-bar 2, the crank-levers 3 and 6, the connecting-rods 7, and reciprocating shafts .8, for simultaneously moving the switch-rails at both ends of the crossing, substantially as described. 7

3. In combination with the centrally-reciprocating" shafts 8, the bell-crank levers 10, loosely hinged at their inner ends to the shafts 8 and at their outer ends pivoted to the bracket-arms 15 of the switch-rails, substantially as specified.

4:. In combination with switch-rails F F, the crank-levers 10, hinged to the bracketarms 15 and loosely hinged at their inner ends to the reciprocating shaft 8, with a fixed bed-plate 12, attachedto the rails, serving as a base for the fulcrums of the levers, substantially as specified.

5. In combination with two sets of switchrails F F and E E, located at the two ends of the crossing, the centrally-reciprocating shafts 8, hinged at their outer ends to mechanism for moving the switch-rails and operated by the cross-headv levers 3 and 6,11inged toconnecting-rods and the sWitch-ba1'2 of the switch-stand, whereby the two sets of switches are simultaneously moved by the reciprocation of the said switch-bar, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of longitudinal reciprocating shafts 8, located centrally between the inner rails of the crossing-frog and connected at their inner ends to theT-shaped bell-crank'lever, the arm 3 of which ishinged to the switch-bar,substantially as herein spe- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' RUFUS SSIMMONS,

J; WATSON SIMS. 

